Key West Catch of the Week - October 27, 2014

Though the summer has long since wound to a close and the fall is upon us, fishing here in Key West is as exciting as ever, with multitudes of noteworthy catches recorded this week. In fact, there were so many that it was initially tricky to identify the catch of the week. However, there was once catch that stood above them all, a haul of 5 Bluefin Tunas and 6 Yellowtail Snappers. This massive catch was more than enough to win our Key West Catch of the Week award, proving once again that the waters in Key West are absolutely teaming with tons of different species of fish just waiting to be hooked on a line and reeled in.

Catching just one Bluefin Tuna and one Yellowtail Snapper would be quite a haul, but these anglers managed to catch five of the former and six of the latter, which is a huge feat no matter your experience level with fishing. Each of these two species of fish are prevalent within the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, particularly in southern and more warmer waters. As such, the waters of Key West have proven to be very hospitable for these two species, as the temperatures are still hovering around 80 degrees even into November, which is the perfect temperature for keeping these fish from migrating a bit more into Caribbean waters.

Bluefin Tuna, also known as the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna, is one of a myriad of different species of Tuna. This species of fish can vary wildly in weight, ranging all the way from around ten pounds to well over 900. Around Key West, Bluefin Tuna are rather highly sought after for food and are easily one of the most coveted species of fish in these waters. However, it's not that easy to catch a Bluefin Tuna, especially once you have them on a hook, as they tend to pick this exact moment to exert their huge amount of strength, agility and speed in attempting to get away, making the fact that these anglers reeled in five of them all the more impressive.

As for Yellowtail Snappers, they oftentimes swim in schools, which could be one of the primary reasons as to why these anglers were able to reel in six of them at one time. This species of fish is most commonly found swimming among and feeding at reefs, which is a great spot to go to when attempting to catch one. The Yellowtail Snapper can be identified by anglers due to their bright yellow tails, as well as a yellow line that extends from the tail to the head, which juxtaposes nicely against their silver-toned bodies. If you would like to see if you have what it takes to make an impressive catch and land a spot as our Key West Catch of the Week, it's never too late to swing by and take one of our many Key West fishing charters out onto the vast waters of Key West.